On Monday, Maggy from Red Ted Art will be guest hosting our #mycolours Twitter party, sponsored by Dylon. She'll be sharing her crafting wisdom and wants to hear your tips too! In the meantime, here she writes about how blogging benefits the entire family.
Maggy notes that the use of mother can easily be interchanged for father. "I chose mother to keep things simple. But anyone look after children should feel included!" she says. Over to Maggy:
About 6 months ago, I got “a little stick” from someone on Twitter with regards to spending too much time on blogging and not enough with my family. It was only a little “stick” and was quickly rectified. However, it did get me thinking…is blogging good for family life? What impact does my blogging have on my family? Have we as a family benefited?
I firmly believe that most of the time, yes! Of course there are always exceptions to the rule, but I believe it is all about personal balance and trusting your own judgement.
There are a number of reasons why blogging is great for you and your family. They don’t all apply to everyone, but carry different benefits for different people:
“A happy mum is a better mum”
I am strong believer in “A Happy Mum is a Better Mum”, so anything that helps you feel happier will help you be a better parent. If you are happier, you are less likely to snap or get stressed with your children. If you are happier, you are more likely to do something new and different with your children. If you are happier, you will have more energy for your children.
There are many ways to make yourself happier: I feel that amongst hot baths, a trip to the cinema, a lunch date with just your friends, blogging can be one of them – it can give you that mental stimulation you need. It gives you “something else” other than “just” nappies and baby sick. It is also something that is yours alone and something that you can be proud of.
An outlet in difficult times
For many people blogging is an outlet during difficult times. We all know how cathartic it can be to “just write something down”, and having somewhere to put it and get feedback can help you even more. There are many bloggers who write to help them with depression or through an illness or to help them come to terms with loss. It also helps many to know that they are not alone – they find others with similar problems and you end up helping each other through them.
My blog does not fall into this category, but I do believe that a blog as an “outlet” can be truly valuable to the individual.
Social contact
Motherhood, especially the first time round, can be an extremely isolating experience – we are a generation that is lucky to have access to the internet. That allows us to form relationships in many different ways – blogging is of course only one these ways, but nevertheless an important one.
It is a way to connect with like-minded people and share ideas – through blogging I have found an invaluable craft resource that I have really enjoyed and found inspirational. I know of others who found like-minded people in literature or music or cooking. It can of course also be about just sharing your day-to-day and finding others that you connect with.
No doubt the social contact you get through blogging is underpinned by forums such as British Mummy Bloggers and of course Twitter.
It is great to have people you can ask for advice and you have people who will listen. People who may have been through something similar and who can help. Back to “A happy mum is a better mum”.
Doing MORE with your family
Many say that blogging takes you away from your family – and of course it does – after all you are sitting at a computer, writing, editing, fiddling, linking...doing whatever your blog needs. Yes, it does take you away from your family. But I would argue that a) you need “you time” (see the above points) and b) particularly in my case, the family time that you do have together has been enriched. As you may know I have a craft blog called Red Ted Art – there I do weekly Kids Crafts and weekly Tutorials for Adults. Both of these have resulted in my doing more with my children craft-wise. Of course, not all bloggers keep to a schedule, but some do and I find that those that do, do more. Be it trying out new recipes for your children to take part in “Meatless Mondays” or be it “doing a new craft” because you “need” another post. Home education blogs are a good examples where I am sure the family benefits from blogging – you take pride in your weekly round-up posts and seek out more interesting activities, helping you to keep your teaching mojo. You find other home educators and share ideas.
Through blogging I read more blogs too (I probably scan at least 60-80 blog posts each week, commenting on at least 40-50 posts each week), which means that I am enriched with ideas for my family every week – I have tried out new recipes, thanks to blogging, I have told more stories, thanks to blogging, I have tried things with my children when I thought they were too young, thanks to blogging, I have made more toys for my children, thanks to blogging…
Sense of achievement for all your family
My son adores seeing his “artwork on the computer”. He won a mug from another blogger with his artwork on it- he loves this mug! It is very clearly “his” mug. I have also used some of my neighbour’s boys’ drawings. I know some of you have blogs that your children write. And I am sure that those whose children do take part in the blogging, really benefit from the confidence building it gives them. I can highly recommend involving your children where you can - highlighting achievements and showing them that you are proud of them. It’s also an opportunity to teach them about the risks of the internet and how to use it wisely.
And then of course, it is a sense of achievement for yourself – this doesn’t have to be comment related or stats related – the fact that you have a blog, that you dabble in it every so often (or all the time) is more than many have done. Be proud of yourself. You have created something special.
Financial, material gain and learning to give
I know money and “stuff” isn’t everything, but equally don’t knock it.
Some bloggers have had the opportunity to receive and test toys. For some families money is tight, so a “free toy” is a real benefit. Some bloggers have kept some toys and given some away, teaching their children a valuable life lesson – that of giving, sharing and compassion –you can’t go wrong with that?
Others get the chance to go on a family day out or a holiday, which surely is “family time”?
Others still, are making an income through advertising and sponsored posts – an income that helps them to NOT have to go back to work and therefore stay at home with the kids.
On balance, I feel that my family has benefited from my blogging at Red Ted Art: I have something for me that I am proud of. I have some “me time”. I craft MUCH more with my children. I try out new things with my family. I have learnt new skills (e.g. I taught myself to crochet, thanks to my blog). I get feedback and ideas. I get help with day-to-day questions (e.g. what to do with a bee sting) and I am lucky enough to make a little pocket money (may this grow!).
There are times, when of course, I get a bit carried away, and I need to reign myself in and make a conscious effort to sit and play. I think we all know when those times are and so long as you listen to yourself, your conscience and your gut instinct, you will be fine.
-- Maggy Woodley, Red Ted Art
